Mercer Island emergency management, police and fire personnel and volunteers will present Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training for residents from 6-8:30 p.m. on Monday evenings beginning May 1 at city hall. For more information and to register, visit www.mercerisland.gov/CERT.

Participants will learn basic disaster preparedness and response skills, including fire safety, disaster medical basics, emergency preparedness, hazards/risks common to Mercer Island and the Puget Sound region, light search and rescue and more.

Restoration events

The city’s Natural Resources team has partnered with Mercer Island High School horticulture students for a special planting party from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 25 at the Gallagher Garden. Students helped design the garden space and selected plants and will provide educational talks about native and non-native plants as well as sharing their vision for the new garden.

A forest-steward-led Ellis Pond Park weeding and clean-up event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 26. Meet at the bench next to the boardwalk on 90th Avenue Southeast.

Residents are encouraged to join Mercer Island resident and Pioneer Park expert Rita Moore for a plant walk and weeding event from 4-6 p.m. on March 30 at the park. Moore will be sharing information about the ecology of the park, including the plants, animals and fungus that live there, followed by park weeding and clean-up.

For more information and to register, visit www.mercerisland.gov/restorationevent.